Rod stared at the photo in the dossier.
There was something familiar about the demon's face, but he couldn't quite place it.
Still, it probably didn't matter. If the guy were anyone important from the crossover world, Rod would've recognized him instantly. The unfamiliarity made it clear: just another background mob character.
Same as the rogue demons and exorcists Rod had wiped out before.
"This mission comes with a higher reward than usual. Got any questions?" Griselda asked, noticing Rod deep in thought.
"Nope," he replied. "All you need to do is sit here and wait for good news."
Just like when he used to play video games, Rod never cared about plot or walkthroughs.
If there was an enemy?
Kill it.
That simple.
Griselda sighed inwardly. If it weren't for Rod's perfect mission success rate so far, she wouldn't have dared send him out alone.
She had originally considered assigning him a partner.
But knowing Rod, he would've refused anyway.
...
Leaving the office behind, Rod looked up once more at the brilliant sky above.
A sacred radiance enveloped everything, so pure and pervasive that even shadows didn't exist.
Overhead stretched an endless dome of white light. This was clearly no longer Earth.
In the High School DxD universe, the various mythological pantheons technically tied into Earth, but each had carved out their own realms, essentially separate worlds.
Heaven was no exception. Its sheer size rivaled that of Earth itself.
And contrary to popular belief, the First Heaven wasn't all gold spires and harp music.
Its architecture resembled that of Earth, just floating high above the clouds.
Angels with pure-white wings glided gracefully between platforms.
Some of them turned to glance curiously at Rod, the only human in their midst.
Rod didn't linger.
He opened his system map, selected one of his previously unlocked Earth-bound teleport anchors, and vanished from Heaven.
....
After a full night's rest at a hotel, Rod headed straight for Italy.
Vatican City, the heart of his next mission, was unique among nations. Though its territory sat within Rome, it had no president, no king. Its ruler was the Pope, and its defense relied entirely on the Italian government.
Back in Rod's original world, Vatican City was more a tourist attraction than a real country.
But in this world, thanks to Heaven's tangible existence, Vatican City carried immense influence.
Of course, that influence was limited strictly to the supernatural side of the world.
Most of humanity still had no clue about angels, demons, gods, or anything else beyond the veil.
"System, track my target."
Aside from the gacha, the system's most practical function was its tracking feature.
Just like in an RPG, once Rod got close enough to the mission zone, he could activate this tool.
[Mission Updated. Target location marked.]
As the system's voice rang out, a bright red beacon appeared on his 3D map.
"A demon gutsy enough to cause trouble in the Vatican, huh?"
Rod muttered to himself, silently offering a thumbs-up to the devil's audacity.
Still, he got to work.
"Not bad. Only thirty kilometers out."
The Vatican sat atop the Roman highlands. Rod's target was inside the city, moving slowly, according to the red dot on his map.
By the time Rod exited the airport, it was deep into the night. The sky glowed faintly red from distant city lights.
He hailed a cab and spoke in English, "To the Vatican, please."
The driver, a mustachioed man, perked up.
"At this hour? Not much to see over there at night, sir," he said in clumsy English, trying to make small talk.
Rod barely responded.
The driver eyed him in the rearview mirror, noting his youth, and silently grinned.
Jackpot.
It was rare to catch such a fat sheep this late at night.
Rumor had it that tourists from big Eastern countries carried thick wallets.
It would be a shame not to "adjust" the meter a little.
The ride lasted over half an hour.
The driver hummed happily the whole way.
Eventually, he pulled into a dimly lit alley near the Vatican and parked.
"Sir, we've arrived. That'll be seven hundred and eighty euros. Thank you for riding."
Rod opened his eyes and frowned. "That price seems a little off, doesn't it?"
"What? No way! All prices are strictly regulated. Just look at the meter!"
The driver pointed sharply at the dashboard, eyes narrowing.
"You're not thinking of skipping out on the fare, are you?"
Rod didn't answer.
He simply leaned forward, half-rising from the back seat and casually slammed his fist into the meter.
Crack.
Sparks flew. The device shorted out, completely fried.
"Looks like it's free now," Rod said coolly.
The driver sat frozen for a beat, then his rage boiled over.
"You broke my, wait, no, ahaha! Sir! That was very cool of you!"
His eyes had locked on the pistol now aimed at his forehead.
In an instant, the anger on his face bloomed into a smile, brighter than a sunflower in spring.
Add to Collections
200 P.S / 1 Extra Chapters
Leave a Comment or a Review!